Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-04-06
A RELIC OF THE PAST.
The Manuscripts Found In y Musty Vol
unIe IN the Pittsburgh Law Library.
ID,tt


uue IN the Pittsburgh Law Library.
Pittsburgh Dispatchl
In dark corner of the Pittsburgh Law
Library are piled number of old and
musty volumes Of legIl law, but little
used, the science of obtaining or delaying
justice having advanced since they were
authorities. Whils looking through one
Of these books, Librarian p. G. Digby dis
covered, neatly folded, a time-stained
sheet of ve,lum, inscribel in ancient Dutch
characters. The document Is apparently
Rn Official transcript of a criminal trial at
Haarlem. in Holland, IN 1867 A free trans
lation OF the manuscript, divested of legal
verbiage, brings to light case of circum-
stantial evidence, which resulted disas-
trously. not only to the accused, but TO
the city OF Haarlsm.
Golfriod Yohe, Westphalian boor, or
Flown, was pursuing his way TO Amstcr-
dam in search of more profitable employ
ment than his own country afforded at
that period. 1t happened that the party
Of immigrants with whom nc had Travelled
stopped 10 drink az a wayside tavern in
Haarlem Wood, where he soon became 50
completely intoxicated that they laid him
under tree asleep, and left him TO get
along as he could when he became sober
Great was his terror and inexpressible
k:s amazement when, upon awaking, the
poor wandercr saw about him a number
of men dressed in blue and wearing silver.
hilted swords, and hearing himself &C.
cuscd OF having robbed and murdered q
4 merchant Greater still was his
horror and alright on seeing that
the blade and hilt Of his knife
were bcsmearcd with blood, that his right
hand was bloody, and that in his pockets
was found property which was known to
have belonged to the murdered man. The
terror and confusion he manifested were
naturally interpreted as unequivocal
proofs OF guilt. His protestations and
supplications were alike disregarded. HIS
country and his poverty combined to rem.
der him subject OF reproach and derision,
for the INDECENT German laborers were
subject TO insult and wrong in Holland.
After many months Of close confinement
Yohe was brought to trial The compan.
ions Of the accused appeared in his behalf.
and they proved that he was dead drunk
and neither able to stand nor walk when
they left him in the wood. The public
prosecutor contended that he had arisen
and murdered the merchant, aud,
being unable TO proceed, had
staggered back to the tree, and was there
taken handed The result was that
Yohe was condemned to die, and after
having been tortured to make him confess
his guilt and accomplices, but without
success, was beheaded
The fate Of the poor German had long
been forgotten when, upon a gang OF des-
perate robbers and murderers being de-
tected in Gelderland, and Just as they
were led out to execution, two Of them
confessed the crime for which Godfrieo
Yohe had suffered at Haarlem. The Grim,
inals, in their joint confession. stated that
as they were waiting the arrival Of a NOR
chant in a herberg or inn In Haarlen
Wood, who, they knew, would pass along
near about that time on his way from
Lemmer TO Amsterdam, they notice. the
German Doors and the very drunken state
of one of them whom the rest of his
comrades left dead drunk under al
oaken tree. After they haC
murdered the traveller and plundcred hi
person, events which took place only :
very short distance from the spot wher,
the unfortunate Y ohc lay asleep, one of tn
banditti suggested the horrible expedien
OF staining his hands, his garments anc
his knife with the yet reeking gore Of tn,
slain, and putting into his pockets few
OF the least valuable trinkets foand upol
the merchant. The wretches were so hard
ened that they were present at the cxecu
tion Of Tohc and watched the death o
, their victim
An appendix to the document states tina
the facts Of the case coming under the no
tice of the Stats General, the authorize
of Haarlem were held to have been guilt.
OF culpable ncgl yence i'll not ferreting ou
the real criminal The city was, there
fore, fined ten thousand guiliers and los
the privilege everinore OF having its owl
RYprutionar